The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s1.114

c5.s1.114

Asmaka—According to the Brahmâṇḍa Purâṇa (Pûrva, ch. 48) Aśmaka is one of the countries of Southern India (Dakshiṇâpatha), but the Kûrma Purâṇa mentions it in connection with the countries of the Punjab; the Brihat-Samhitâ (ch. 14) also places it in the north-west of India. Auxoamis which has been identified by Saint Martin with Sumi (McCrindle's Ptolemy) lying a little to the east of the Sarasvatî and at a distance of about 25 miles from the sea, was considered to be the ancient Aśmaka. According to Prof. Rhys Davids, Aśmaka was the Assaka of the Buddhist period, and was situated immediately to the north-west of Ayantî. The Assakas had a settlement on the banks of the Godâvarî at the time of Buddha, and their capital was Potana (Govinda Sûtta in Dîgha- Nikāya, xix, 36). It appears, however, from the "History of Bāwari" in Spence Hardy's *Manual of Buddhism*, Suttanipāta, and Pārāyaṇavagga (*SBE.*, X, 188) that Asaka (Aśmaka) was situated between the Godāvarī and Māhissati (Māhishmatī) on the Nerbuda. It was also called Alaka or Mūlaka and its capital was Pratiṣṭhāna (Paudanya (*q.v.*) of the *Mahābhārata*) on the north bank of the Godāvarī (*see* Pratiṣṭhāna,) called Potali and Potana by the Buddhists (*Jātakas*, Cam. Ed., vol. III, p. 2). It became a part of the Mahārāṣṭra country at the time of Aśoka. The *Daśakumāracharita* written in the sixth century A.D., by Daṇḍin, describes it as a dependant kingdom of Vidarbha. It is also mentioned in the *Harshacharita*. It should be remarked that in the *Purāṇas*, Mūlaka is said to be the son of a king of Aśmaka. Bhaṭṭa Swāmī, the commentator of Kauṭilya's *Arthaśāstra*, identifies Aśmaka with Mahārāṣṭra. It is the Aśvaka of the *Mahābhārata* (Bhīshma P., ch. 9).